When a Human Catches the Dragon Flu
by Griffin Stone
Summary: (Rescue Riders-verse) Dak comes down with what sure seems like the Dragon Flu, but the dragons' cure has no affect! While Leyla and Summer track down a cure for humans, the rest of the Rescue Riders care for a sick Dak.


**A/N: Anyone who knows me probably isn't surprised by this latest addition. Rescue Riders (on Netflix) has nothing on the original movies or other shows, but it's just so absurdly adorable! I love Dak and Winger's interactions, so I decided to write a story where Winger takes care of Dak.**

**I didn't use the bold for dragon speech like I normally would, because most of this was in dragon speech and it was distracting.**

**Note: "gronckle berries" are just raspberries. **

* * *

It was late in the evening, and all Dak and the dragons were relaxing in the yard. The dragons were setting up targets for one last round of target practice, when something startled them.

"Ah-ah-choo!"

Automatically, the dragons ducked. But no fire, rocks, or water went flying, as they had usually accompanied a sneeze for a few days. They sheepishly straightened and looked at their sneezing friend.

Dak was seated on a rock in the yard, face clenched for another sneeze.

"Ah-choo!"

"Ah, not you, Dak," Winger said, going to his best friend's side. "I thought we were all over Dragon Flu."

"Guess it's my-mah-ah-choo!" Dak sneezed himself over backwards. "My turn."

Leyla poked her head from the Roost. "Did someone say 'Dragon Flu?'"

Summer nodded her head toward Dak, still laying on his back. "I think Dak's caught it."

Leyla laughed. "How? As much as he acts it, Dak's not a dragon. Neither of us are."

The dragons looked between their human friends. True, they weren't dragons, but Dak sure acted like he had Dragon Flu.

Dak held up his pointer finger. "See? It's just allergies."

"That's what Cutter said, you know." Leyla went to her brother and felt his forehead. "Huh? You do have a fever…"

"I'm fine," Dak said, sitting up and pushing Leyla's hand away.

To prove his point, Dak stood up. He promptly lost his balance, and only Winger jumping forward to catch him prevented him from falling.

Leyla bit her lip and stood. "Can you bring him to bed, Winger? Something really is wrong."

"I'm fine," Dak said, completely unconvincingly.

"Yeah. A little help?"

With the others' help, Winger got Dak onto his back. He walked carefully into the Roost, Leyla steadying Dak while the other dragons trailed behind.

* * *

"He won't stop shivering," Leyla said a few minutes later, once they had a complaining Dak in bed. "Summer, could you get some more blankets?"

"H2 on it!" Summer leaped down the steps.

"I can help," Aggro said. She sat at Dak's side and started to glow with heat.

"Thanks, Aggro," Leyla said with a smile.

"Yeah, thanks," Dak said. "I feel better already!" He started to sit up, but Winger stopped him.

"Nuh-uh. You aren't leaving until Leyla says you can."

"But-"

"Don't make me have Burple sit on you."

Aggro rolled her eyes. "Trust me. You don't want that."

Dak was about to make a joking comment, when a sneeze forced him into laying down again. Leyla returned to Dak's side, frowning at the Dragon Diary.

"I don't get it. You have all the symptoms of the Dragon Flu, but how?"

Summer climbed back into view. "Maybe humans can get Dragon Flu, too?"

"Then why call it 'Dragon Flu?'" Cutter asked.

"Maybe dragons were the first to figure out the cure?" Summer pulled a couple blankets from her back and gave them to Leyla. "Speaking of, we do still have some Help-Kelp, right?"

"We do!" Leyla face-palmed. "I was so worried about Dak, I forgot!"

While Leyla and Summer searched Leyla's jars on the shelves, Dak sat back up.

"Really, I feel fine," Dak insisted.

"Cutter also said that," Leyla said over her shoulder.

"Yeah, even though he was sneezing constantly and throwing spikes everywhere," Aggro added.

Dak sneezed. "Well, I guess if the Help-Kelp makes you feel better."

"It will." Leyla turned around with a jar in her hand. "And you'll be feeling better, too."

Leyla handed a piece of Help-Kelp to Dak. Her brother looked at the slimy kelp, to his sister, then back to the kelp. Sighing, he slurped up the kelp.

"Ugh, salty," Dak said with a shudder.

"Good boy," Leyla said, affectionately patting Dak's head. Dak laughed and swatted her hand away. "Now, it's getting late, anyway. Let's all get to sleep. You'll feel better in the morning."

"Yeah…" Dak yawned. "Sleeping sounds good. Night, guys."

"Night," everyone chorused.

Leyla blew out the lanterns and ushered the dragons down the steps. She counted them off, and found one missing!

Turning, Leyla smiled when she saw Winger hadn't left yet. Dak had rolled over and dozed off already, but Winger was still sitting over him.

"Hey…" Leyla rubbed a hand down Winger's side. "Do you want to stay up here tonight?"

Winger nodded, briefly taking his eyes from Dak. "Please. I've just… Dak's never been sick."

"Don't worry," Leyla assured him as she headed to her bed. "It's just a little cold or something. Dak will be just fine in the morning."

"Yeah." Winger smiled. He curled up beside Dak's bed, determined to watch over his friend during the night. "He's gonna be just fine."

* * *

"Leyla?"

Leyla groaned and rolled over. "Winger? It's too early."

"I'm sorry, but… it's Dak."

Leyla shot awake. "What's wrong?"

Winger waved his head toward Dak's bed, and plodded back to it. Leyla jumped out of bed to follow, and saw that Dak had clearly gotten worse. He was shivering badly now, even though three blankets were piled on top of him.

"He was sneezing all night, but then he just stopped and started shivering. I tried to wake him up," Winger said. "But he won't!"

Leyla put a hand on Dak's forehead and found him hotter than ever. "His fever's gotten worse!"

"What do we do?" Winger asked, stamping anxiously.

"I-I don't know. I'll check with Summer. Maybe she'll have an idea."

Winger nodded sadly. He curled up beside Dak, half-way laying on Dak's bed himself and setting his head on Dak's lap.

Leyla bolted to the dragons' sleep den. She landed hard on the stone, her feet making a loud slap that startled the dragons awake.

"Leyla?" Summer murmured, lifting her head. "What's wrong?"

Without a word, Leyla ran to her best friend and tackled Summer in a tight hug. Summer blinked at the sudden act, then, sensing Leyla's distress, set her head gently on Leyla's.

"Is it Dak?" Summer asked.

"He… he's worse," Leyla said. "I don't get it. We gave him the Help-Kelp, why isn't he better? You guys were better almost as soon as we gave it to you."

"Maybe it works differently on humans," Cutter suggested.

"He might need something different," Summer said, pulling her head back to nudge Leyla to her feet. "Let's ask Marena what humans do for the Dragon Flu."

Leyla brightened. "Good idea!" She jumped onto Summer's bare back. "We'll be back soon, guys. Winger's with Dak, but wait here in case he needs help."

Summer ran outside and glided into the village. It was early, so the Vikings were just starting to go about their morning business. Summer weaved through them, Leyla absently calling greetings until they reached Marena's secluded house.

"Marena!" Leyla called. She hopped off Summer's back and knocked on the door. "Marena, we need help!"

"Help, you say?" asked Marena's voice from behind.

Leyla and Summer yelped and spun. How -and why- did Marena always end up behind them when they went to talk to her?

"Yes, we need your help," Leyla said. "Dak's caught the Dragon Flu!"

Marena squinted at Leyla. "Dak is your brother, is he not?"

"Yes! Er…" Leyla looked at Summer, who shrugged. "Er… yes, he is my brother."

"And he is human, yes?"

"Uh… yes?"

Marena tapped her staff on the ground. "Then there is no problem."

Leyla ran in front of Marena when the woman started to walk away. "Woah, woah! Yes, there is a problem! Dak's sick!"

"If your brother has Dragon Flu, there is no problem because humans can't catch the Dragon Flu," Marena said. She tapped her chin. "It is, however, possible that he has the Human Flu."

"Uh…" Leyla shook her head. "There's a difference?"

"Of course. One infects dragons, and the other infects humans. I thought you were the smart one."

"I am!" Leyla said defensively.

Marena waved her off. "The symptoms are exactly the same, except a human sneezing is a lot less destructive."

"And the wing freeze, right?" Leyla asked.

"Unless your brother has wings under his shirt, he's fine," Marena said drily.

Leyla chuckled awkwardly. "Right. Um… so, if everything's the same, why didn't the Help-Kelp help?"

"Because while the symptoms are the same, the cure is different."

"That's what I came to ask!" Leyla said. "What's the cure for Human Flu?"

"Ah, yes. You must mash up the purple gronckle berries that grow in the forest and give the juice to your brother."

"Purple gronckle berries, got it!" Leyla said, leaping onto Summer's back. "Thanks, Marena!"

Marena caught Leyla's arm. "Be fast. Humans can't take the fevers of the Flu as well as dragons. The fever may do odd things to Dak's head."

"Not permanently, right?" Leyla asked.

Marena released her. "Not if you hurry."

"Thanks for the warning, Marena," Leyla said. "Come on, Summer, we don't have time to waste!"

* * *

Back at the Roost, Winger perked up when Dak stirred. He lifted his head, watching while Dak twisted a bit, then opened his eyes and sat up.

"Dak, you're awake!" Winger said. He rubbed his head against Dak. "We were so worried!"

"About me? Psh, I'm fine, Burple," Dak said.

"Uh…" Winger looked at the otherwise empty room. "I'm Winger."

Dak blinked, squinted. "Huh. You're right."

"Maybe you should lay back down," Winger suggested.

"No, I told you. I'm fine! Better than fine, I'm fantastic!" Dak said. "And bored. Let's go for a fly!"

Winger stepped back. "I think that if we went for a fly, the Rescue Riders would be rescuing you."

"Heh, rescuers rescuing the rescuer," Dak said with a chuckle.

"Yeah… real funny," Winger said slowly. "Dak? You sure you're okay?"

"Yep!"

Winger raised one wing. "How many wings am I holding up?"

Dak started to answer, then stopped. He held up a finger and counted silently before deciding on, "Three?"

"Dak, I only have two wings," Winger said, lowering his wing.

"Are you sure?"

"Pretty sure."

Cutter, Burple, and Aggro came up the steps. They smiled when they saw Dak sitting up.

"Hey, Dak," Burple said. "Feeling better?"

"Oh, way-" Dak's face twisted. He sneezed hard, then a second time, then went on, "Better!"

"No, he's not," Winger said. "Trust me on this. Are Leyla and Summer back yet?"

"No," said Aggro. "But, we brought breakfast!"

"Yes!" Dak threw his hands in the air. "I'm starving!"

"Now that I think about it, I don't think you ate supper last night," Winger said.

"We can help with that," Cutter said.

Cutter lifted his tail, showing a fish speared on the tip. Aggro used a short blast of fire to cook the fish. Winger was glad his friends had remembered; watching Dak try to eat raw fish when he wasn't sick was painful enough.

"Here you go. One freshly roasted fish," Cutter said, holding his tail closer to Dak.

Dak pulled the fish off Cutter's tailspike and started eating. He only got halfway through the fish before sighing and lowering it onto his lap.

"I'm tired," Dak said.

The dragons looked at each other, then at the half-finished fish Dak seemed to have forgotten. Dak never left food!

"Okay," Winger said. "Leyla always says to sleep when we're sick."

Dak flopped backward, snoring almost before his head hit the pillow. The dragons shrugged, then got Dak comfortable. Cutter carried off the leftover fish, Burple grabbed an extra blanket, Aggro settled down nearby and glowed with heat, and Winger rested his head on the side of the bed.

* * *

"Okay, purple berries," Leyla said as Summer landed. "That shouldn't be too hard to find… in a giant forest."

"Maybe we should have asked Marena where the berries grow exactly?" Summer asked.

"No, I'm sure we'll be fine," Leyla said. "I've seen a lot of berries when we fly around the island. We just have to find the gronckle berries."

Summer sniffed the air, but she wasn't a tracker like Cutter. Instead, she started trotting through the woods, pausing occasionally to stick her head into a promising-looking bush.

The pair searched silently for a while, then Leyla abruptly perked up.

"Summer! Over there!"

Summer turned and saw a single bush of the clumpy berries for which they were looking."Yes!"

"Wait!" Leyla cried just as Summer was about to leap.

Summer scrambled to a halt. "What is it, Leyla?"

Leyla groaned and lifted a finger to point. "See what else is there?"

Summer squinted, then caught sight of the large lumps of white fur. She sighed. "Wolves."

* * *

It took ten minutes to convince Winger to leave Dak long enough to eat breakfast himself. The Swiftwing gobbled down fish without tasting them in the sleep den, eyes on the trapdoor.

"Woah," Burple said, watching Winger. "And I thought I ate fast."

Cutter cocked his head. "Are you even tasting them?"

"Hm?" Winger lifted his head from the now-empty bucket. "Not really. I'm gonna check on Dak."

The other dragons watched Winger bound up the ladder.

"He's really worried about Dak, isn't he?" Aggro said. She had Heatey between her forepaws, the hatchling content to sit with his adopted mother.

Burple nodded. "Dak's never been sick since they met. I've never seen him even get the sniffles!"

"Oh… no wonder why he's worried."

"Dak!" Winger suddenly yelled from above.

The trio exchanged nervous looks and raced up to Dak and Leyla's sleeping room. Winger was pacing around Dak's bed, which was empty!

"Where'd he go?" Burple asked.

"I shouldn't have left him!" Winger scolded himself. "Now he's wandered off, and he's sick! What if he gets cold? Or hungry? Or-"

"Or maybe he's just in the yard," Aggro said.

Startled, Winger looked at the Fire Fury beside the window. "In the yard?"

"Yeah. Take a look," Aggro said, jerking her muzzle toward the window.

The other dragons joined Aggro. Winger chuckled sheepishly when he saw Dak wandering around the yard. A second later, though, he was serious again.

"What's Dak doing with Cutter's shed spikes?" Winger asked.

Dak, holding a handful of spikes, stopped about ten feet from one of the targets. He dropped all but one spike, then threw the single spike toward the target. The spike widely missed.

Cutter cocked his head. "Maybe he thinks he's a Relentless Razorwing."

Dak reached for another spike, but was shivering so badly that stumbled and almost fell on the pile. Winger flinched, then leaped out of the window.

"Dak! Stop!" Winger yelled.

Dak, luckily, turned away from the spikes. He grinned broadly. "Hey, Winger! I'm learning spike throwing!"

"Uh… why would you want to do that?" Winger asked.

"Well, I can't breathe fire or water, or spit rocks," Dak explained, counting off the reasons on his fingers. "But I have to do something to defend myself!"

"That's what I do," Winger said.

"But!" Dak thrust a wobbly finger in the air. "What if I was cornered by wolves, and you weren't nearby! Then what?"

Cutter landed nearby. "You would just happen to have some of my spikes with you?"

"Well, I can carry them in a bag, maybe," Dak explained.

"Maybe, if they weren't so sharp they'll cut anything," Cutter said. "I like to keep my spikes at a perfect point."

"I'll put them on a belt!" Dak said. He really wasn't letting this idea go.

"Same problem."

Dak frowned at the pile of spikes. "New plan, then. Get good at throwing the spikes, _then_ figure out how to carry them."

Winger and Cutter groaned.

* * *

"It's sleeping," Leyla said, staring at the wolf. "Do you see any others?"

Summer scanned the forest. "Just the one."

"Do you think…" Leyla groaned. "This sounds like one of Dak's ideas."

"What is it?"

"Maybe… if we were really quiet… we could sneak up to the bush and grab some without waking the wolf?"

"That does sound like something Dak would come up with…"

Leyla and Summer stared at the bush, then the wolf. To the forest floor, strewn with dried leaves and twigs. Back to the bush.

Summer admitted it first. "Find a safer bush."

* * *

Cutter cocked his head. Stared. Finally, he said, "Well… at least he's not trying to throw spikes, anymore."

Winger, after snatching the dozenth rock from Dak as he tried to "put it in his second stomach," gave Cutter an unimpressed look.

"Does the Dragon Flu make humans think they're dragons?" Aggro asked. "What's next? Trying to breathe fire?"

* * *

"Red, red, and more red," Leyla said with a sigh. "Nothing but red gronckle berries!"

"Maybe these would work, too?" Summer said.

"No, Marena specifically said the purple ones. We'll just have to keep searching."

"I feel like we've searched half the forest already! And the only purple gronckle berries we've seen are…"

Summer looked at Leyla. Leyla looked at Summer. Both winced.

"Back to the wolf?" Summer said.

* * *

"We weren't this much trouble when we were sick, were we?" Winger asked Burple.

"I can't really remember that day," Burple admitted.

"For the record, you wouldn't stay still, either, Winger," Aggro said.

"Allergies take too much out of me," Cutter said. "I'm sure I wasn't any trouble at all!"

The other dragons rolled their eyes, then stiffened.

"Guys," Winger said slowly. "Who's watching Dak?"

"Uh…" Burple looked under a paw at a time, like he could have forgotten he was sitting on Dak.

"I thought Cutter was the one with the best eyesight," Aggro defended herself.

"Nobody told me that I needed to be watching Dak!" Cutter complained.

Winger hopped to his paws. "He couldn't have gotten far! Split up, Rescue Riders, and find Dak!"

Cutter shot straight up in the air and scanned around the Roost. In seconds, he spotted the missing member.

"There! Near the bridge!" Cutter squinted. "Uh… better hurry!"

Dak, barely shivering now, stood on the cliff's edge with Heatey in his arms. "Okay, Heatey. Today's a big day for us. We're going to learn how to fly!"

Heatey squawked happily and flapped his small wings. Dak laughed and leaped-

"Gotcha!"

Winger barely caught the back of Dak's armor and jerked him back onto solid ground. Aggro rushed up to snatch away Heatey.

"Winger!" Dak complained. "We're gonna learn how to fly!"

"Not today, Dak," Winger said. "Maybe tomorrow."

"Wi-inger!" Dak whined. He started shivering again. "You're no fun."

Winger shook his head. "We have to get you warm."

Aggro looked at Heatey, then Dak. Shrugging, she set Heatey in Dak's lap. Instantly, the boy's shivers slowed. Unfortunately, Heatey wanted to wander, and it didn't take long for him to crawl off.

"Okay, let's go to the sleep den," Winger suggested, picking Dak up by his armor.

Uncaring about being carried, Dak gave Winger his best hatchling-eyes. "Can we learn how to fly in there?"

"Uh…"

"Sure!" Cutter jumped in. Leaning closer to Winger, he whispered, "At least he can't jump off anything too high in there."

Winger rolled his eyes. Surely he and the others hadn't been this bad when they were sick!

* * *

"How can it still be there?" Leyla groaned.

Summer looked around. "Well, it's still alone. That's a good thing."

"Let's just do this quickly," Leyla said with a sigh.

"Hold on."

The brush was growing too tightly together for Summer to fly past the bush, so she was stuck on the ground. Leyla got a firm grip on Summer's back, ready in case Summer had to make a run for it.

Summer took a cautious step forward. Leaves rustled under her paw, but the sleeping wolf didn't stir. Summer took another, slower step, to the same result.

"I think you can go just a little bit faster," Leyla said.

"Right…"

Summer eventually reached the point where she was barely a Fastfin-length from the bush. She and Leyla were barely daring to breathe by that point.

Summer raised a paw to take another step, but froze at a rumbling sound. Her eyes darted around for the source, eventually landing on the gronckle berry bush.

Or, more specifically, the eyes glaring back at her.

Summer screamed as the eyes lunged forward. She scurried backward, barely avoiding the wolf's snapping jaws.

"Run!" Leyla shouted.

Summer, with Leyla holding tight, broke into a run as two more wolves leaped from the brush.

"Well," Summer said, leaping over the sleeping wolf, "That could have gone better."

* * *

Dak was shivering really hard, but he absolutely refused to stay still under a blanket.

"I c-can't lear-rn to f-fly i-if I'm-m sl-leeping!" Dak said, rushing away from Winger.

Winger tossed the blanket away in defeat. "We definitely weren't this bad."

"No, you were worse," Aggro said from where she sat in the corner with Heatey.

"Ah, I kn-now wh-why I-I c-can't fl-ly!" Dak proclaimed.

"Lack of wings?" Cutter suggested.

"Exac-ctly!"

Dak scooped up the discarded blanket and grabbed a corner in either hand. He spread his arms wide, letting the blanket hang loose over his back.

"Wings!" Dak said.

"Congratulations," Winger said. "Now go to bed."

"W-with this-s br-reakth-through, h-how c-could I sl-leep?!"

Dak ran to one of the ledges and jumped off, flapping his "wings" as hard as he could. Unsurprisingly to everyone but Dak, he fell flat. Undeterred, Dak hopped back up and ran to another ledge. The dragons watched this for a while, until Winger finally had enough.

"Cover me, guys," Winger said, standing and grabbing another blanket. "I'm going in."

* * *

"All this trouble, and still no berries!" Leyla groaned. "We should have brought the others with us!"

Summer whipped her tail out of a wolf's jaws. "Everything's clearer in hindsight! Leyla, lean right!"

Leyla did as she was told, right as Summer dodged to the right. The wolves behind her crashed into each other as they tried to follow, giving Summer a temporary reprieve.

"Okay, let's head back, grab some berries, and get out of-"

"Look out!" Leyla yelled, cutting her off.

Summer looked ahead, just as the lead wolf leaped out of the bushes! Summer yelped and threw herself to the side. The wolf's jaws snapped inches from her tail.

"That was a close one, Leyla!" Summer said as she continued to run. She didn't get a response, and she felt oddly light… She looked back and saw Leyla was gone! "Leyla!"

Back where she had taken the quick turn, Leyla sat up in the bushes and shook her head. She hadn't been prepared for Summer's turn, and had slid right off her back.

She grimaced and wiped the leaves and sticky juice off her hands. She froze a second later when she saw the juice was… purple?

Leyla looked up and spotted Summer at the same time the dragon realized she'd lost her rider.

"Hold on, Leyla!" Summer ground to a halt, skidding in a half-circle so she faced back the way she'd come. "I'm coming!"

"Summer, wait!" Leyla yelled, seeing her friend charge the wolf.

Briefly, Summer and the wolf were still. The wolf snarled and walked forward. Summer returned it with a growl of her own and stepped forward.

Summer and the wolf paced toward each other, paws quickening with each step until they were flat-out charging each other.

"Summer!"

The wolf growled in anticipation. Summer's eyes narrowed as the distance quickly closed, then, when they were practically nose-to-nose, Summer shoved off her hind feet. She spread her wings as far as she dared in the close quarters and soared over the wolf.

Summer hit the ground behind the wolf, completely untouched, while the wolf tumbled head-over-tail in its attempts to twist after her. Summer didn't waste a second celebrating, only bolted for Leyla. Without stopping, Summer grabbed the girl and raced off. Once they were clear of the trees, Summer spread her wings and took to the sky.

"Well… that was intense," Leyla said once they were far from the wolves.

Summer slid Leyla onto her back so she could answer. "Let's not do that again, okay?"

"Deal."

Summer groaned. "And we still didn't get the purple gronckle berries!"

"Actually…"

Summer looked back. Leyla held up purple-stained hands, revealing squashed berries.

"They kind of got squished when we took off," Leyla said. "But they needed to be mashed, anyway."

"Are those purple gronckle berries?" Summer asked, staring. "How? When?"

"When you turned to avoid that last wolf, I fell right into a huge clump of them!" Leyla said.

"Well, that's one way to find berries!" Summer said, laughing with her sticky friend. "Come on!"

"I hope Dak hasn't gotten in too much trouble," Leyla said.

"Trouble? There's one Dak, and four Rescue Riders. How bad could it be?"

* * *

Summer was nearly back to the Roost when she pulled up short.

"Summer?" Leyla leaned to look down, where Summer was staring. "Uh, what's Aggro doing?"

"That's what I want to know."

Summer flew down to where Aggro was sitting. She and Heatey seemed to be guarding -for lack of a better word- the final bridge that connected the Roost to Huttsgalor.

"Summer! Leyla!" Aggro bounced to her paws. "Did you get the cure?"

"We sure did!" Leyla held up the berries.

"Oh, finally," Aggro said, rolling her eyes.

"Why? What happened?" Leyla asked. "And why are you all the way down here?"

"Heatey and I are the last line of defense," Aggro said seriously.

Summer blinked. "What?"

Aggro kept a stern face, then smirked. "Come on. I'll show you."

Aggro picked up Heatey and led the way back to the Roost. She and Summer landed in the yard, where Summer and Leyla became more confused.

Burple was sitting right against the doors to the sleep den. He didn't move, only waved a paw.

"Hey, guys!" Burple called. "Did you get the cure?"

"We sure did!" Leyla said, climbing off Summer. "Where's-"

The shutters to a ground-level window burst open, startling Leyla. Cutter poked his head out.

"Yes!" Cutter called. "Finally!"

"What exactly happened since we left?" Leyla asked, confused. "Is Dak okay?"

"He's been better," Burple admitted.

"Especially in the head," added Cutter. "He thinks he's a dragon!"

"Dak's always kind of thought that," Summer said.

"No." Aggro shook her head. "He actually thinks he's a dragon. He's been trying to fly for a while now."

"And he wanted to throw spikes like me, tried to carry rocks in his stomach like Burple, and I'm pretty sure he ate those peppers because he thought they'd let him breathe fire," Cutter said.

"That last one was Cutter's fault," Aggro said.

"I wasn't being literal when I said they were hot enough to make him breathe fire!"

"Sounds like you guys had an interesting day," Leyla said, stifling a smile. "But where's Dak? And why haven't Burple or Cutter moved?"

Cutter's eyes widened. "Oops, left my post!" He vanished back inside.

"Dak's been wandering off a lot," Aggro said in response to Leyla and Summer's confused looks. "Winger finally decided to try and keep Dak in the sleep den. But just in case, Burple and Cutter have been watching the exits, and I've been making sure he doesn't somehow end up in Huttsgalor."

"Wow." Leyla shook her head. "We'd better give him the cure, then."

"Yes, please," Burple said, standing. "I haven't been able to leave for forever! Not even to eat!"

"It hasn't been that long, Burple," Aggro said. "It's not even lunchtime."

"Tell that to my stomach," Burple said. He walked away in search of fish.

"Okay," Leyla said, putting her hands on the doors. "Let's see what havoc one sick Dak can cause."

Leyla tugged the doors open. She and the dragons automatically tensed, in case something came flying out, but the way seemed to be clear. They peeked inside.

The sleep den was only slightly messy, with a few scattered blankets and a fish sitting randomly near the firepit. Dak was nowhere in sight, but Winger was laying in one corner.

Winger shushed the group when they stepped into the den. He grinned proudly as he gestured with his head for them to get closer.

Leyla studied him as she walked over. He was on his side, with his wings curled around his body and paws. She grinned, recognizing the position.

"Where's Dak?" Aggro whispered.

Winger opened his wings slightly, revealing Dak. Winger was holding the boy in his paws, and Dak was sound asleep.

"It's an old trick Mom used when Dak was younger," Winger explained in a whisper. "Sometimes he got too riled up, and so she would just hold him until he fell asleep."

"It works on dragons, too," Leyla said, giggling. "Mom sometimes had to do it to Dak and Winger at the same time. The darkness and warmth of a dragon's body is too much for anyone to resist."

Winger's expression was a mixture of pride at his idea and embarrassment when the others giggled at the image of Winger being snuggled to sleep.

"It worked," Winger said, sounding disgruntled.

"It was a very good idea, Winger," Summer soothed. "Leyla and I will get the cure ready. Could you wake Dak?"

"But it took him so long to fall asleep," Winger said with a sigh.

"Then we're trusting you to get him back to sleep once we give him the cure," Leyla said, running to the ladder.

Winger hummed, satisfied. While Summer followed Leyla, Winger set Dak on the floor. He nudged the boy with his muzzle.

"Dak?" Winger whispered. "Dak, wake up."

It took a few minutes, but Dak finally stirred. Shaking slightly with shivers, he blinked heavily at Winger.

"Fly now?" Dak murmured.

"You really want to fly," Winger said. "Once you get better, we'll go."

Dak mumbled something. Winger sat him up, then had to hold him up when Dak slumped backward.

"At least he's staying in one spot?" Aggro said tentatively.

Winger watched Dak flop back to the floor. "I think I preferred when he was trying to jump off the cliff."

"Here's the cure!" Leyla said, climbing down the ladder one-handed with a cup in the other hand. "Uh… what's with Dak?"

Winger shrugged and sat Dak up again. Dak blinked hard a couple times, then gave Leyla a goofy grin.

"Winger's teaching me to fly," Dak announced.

Leyla raised an eyebrow at Winger, who shook his head. Leyla smiled and knelt in front of Dak.

"That's nice, Dak. Here, have some juice. You'll feel better."

Dak took the cup with slightly shaky hands, but managed to drink the juice without spilling any. Leyla hurriedly took the cup before Dak could drop it.

Dak yawned and turned to curl against Winger. "Tired… I'll learn to fly later."

"Okay, Dak," Winger sighed. He laid down and pulled Dak closer, then wrapped his wings around Dak again. Winger looked up when the others snickered. "What? He likes it."

"Dak's got to be part dragon," Leyla said fondly. She stood. "You've done a good job at watching him so far, Winger. Mind keeping an eye on him for a bit longer?"

"Not at all."

* * *

Dak slept the rest of the day, through the night, and halfway through the next day. He was terribly restless anytime Winger put him down, so Winger was stuck in the sleep den for most of the time. Not that Winger would have gone far from his friend, anyway.

When he finally roused, Dak was back to his old self, and didn't remember anything from when he was sick. The others were only too glad to inform him, and never let him forget that day.


End file.
